Sports Desk:

Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome has initiated the process to represent Bangladesh, marking a significant step in the Bangladesh Football Federation’s (BFF) ongoing efforts to recruit foreign-born talent. This development follows the recent inclusion of Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhury.

In recent weeks, there has been regular communication between Shamit Shome and the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). As part of the ongoing discussions, Shamit messaged BFF Vice President Fahad Karim on Friday (April 11) afternoon that he has made his decision and wishes to discuss the details further.

“Shamit messaged me this afternoon saying he has made his decision and wants to talk in more detail,” said Fahad Karim. “Since it’s currently midnight in Canada, we plan to speak later tonight, Bangladesh time.”

Although Shamit was initially expected to communicate his decision by mid-April, he has sent a positive message ahead of schedule. According to the BFF Vice President, “Since he has made up his mind, we are hopeful we’ll see him wearing the Bangladesh jersey soon.”

Born in Alberta to Bangladeshi parents — Manas Shome (father) and Nandita Shome, originally from Bishwanath, Sylhet — Shome has previously represented Canada at U-20 and U-21 levels. He began his professional career with FC Edmonton in 2016 and is currently a regular for Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League. In 2020, he earned two senior caps in international friendlies for Canada.

Although initially hesitant, the 27-year-old has now expressed a clear desire to switch allegiance to Bangladesh, possibly inspired by Hamza’s recent decision — Hamza having also played for England’s youth teams before making himself available for Bangladesh.

It is understood that Shome currently holds a Canadian passport, and his representatives are working on securing a Bangladeshi passport for him. Complicating the process is the fact that his parents have not renewed their Bangladeshi passports since 1993, meaning passports for the entire family need to be processed.

According to sources, Shome’s Bangladeshi birth certificate is expected to be finalized by Sunday or early next week. Once completed, the necessary documents will be forwarded to FIFA. Shome is also scheduled to visit the Canadian embassy, and if everything proceeds smoothly, he could join the Bangladesh national team by June.

Should the process be completed in time — though it remains uncertain given the procedural hurdles — Shome could be available for Bangladesh’s crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on June 10 at the National Stadium in Dhaka.